Perforating device



March 12, 1957 J. c. OLSON ET AL 2,784,488

PERFORATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 24, 1955 M60110) Wm 21% United States Patent M PERFORATING DEVICE Jack C. Olson and Clifford M. Le Roux, Racine, Wis.

Application August 24, 1955, Serial No. 530,269

2 Claims. (CI. 30-61) This invention relates to improvements in container perforators of a type for piercing weakened sections disposed about the top surface of a container.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device having a fiat base provided with spaced depending prongs arranged to punch through the weakened sections already provided in the top of the ordinary cleanser container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a perforating device having a platform from which a series of depending prongs are struck therefrom, such prongs arranged and spaced about a central opening, in said platform, and having a guide prong of greater length than the others with sets of remaining prongs of varying length.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device simple in design, easy to operate and economical to manufacture.

Numerous other objects, advantages and features of construction and combinations, and details of means will be manifest in the ensuing descripiton of the herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, spirit and principle of the invention as it is more directly claimed hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of container and the preforating device.

Figure 2 is a plan view of our invention.

Figure 3 is a view in cross-section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view of the prongs in our invention in linear formation as embodied about the circumferential surface of the central opening in our device.

With reference to the drawings, the perforating device in a preferred form comprises a substantially flat circular base or platform 10, having spaced depending prongs 11 struck from the surface of the base. These prongs are arranged and equally spaced about a central opening 12 and are adaptable to line up with the formed and weakened sections 13 usually associated with the top surface cover of a cleanser containing can, designated by the numeral 9 or the like.

One of said prongs as designated by the numeral 14 is longer than the other prongs and may be referred to as the pilot or positioning member.

Arranged about the opening 12 and at approximately ninety degrees on each side of the pilot prong 14, are other prongs 15 of lesser length than prong 14 but of equal length with respect to each other. Directly opposite from prong 14 is prong 15a of slightly greater length than prongs 15 but less than prong 14. This prong 15a may be likened to a second pilot prong.

Disposed between each of the aforesaid mentioned prongs and substantially equally spaced therefrom are prongs 16, all of which are of equal length.

The space 17 between the prongs and the outside edge of the base 10 is of consider-able area to provide a surface for allowing pressure manipulation on the part of an operator.

2,784,488 Patented Mar. 12, 1957 There are numerous advantages in a perforating device of this kind, a few of them being directed to the piercing of the weakened sections with very little effort in view of the different lengths of sets of prongs, also, that pressure on the top of the container is intermittent whereby danger of pushing in the container top is lessened or wholly eliminated because of all the weakened sections is not made at one time.

In practice, the device is positioned directly over the top of the container with each prong in line with one of the weakened sections 13. Prong 14 is first pressed into its aligned section 13 and perforating said section, then prong 15a is pushed through its aligned weakened section 13. As manual pressure is continued, the prongs 15 perforate their aligned sections 13 followed by all of the prongs 16 perforating their aligned sections 13. The result being, all of the sections 13 perforated in even order and presenting substantially full and complete openings in the container.

By providing the prongs of progressively increasing length additional advantages are as follows: prong 14, being the longest prong, penetrates its respective weakened section first with a minimum amount of pressure and then the diametrically opposed second longest prong 15a is pressed into its respective container section with approximately the same amount of pressure; then the diametrically opposed prongs 15, which are next longest in length, penetrate their respective container sections with the application of a reasonable amount of additional pressure. It will be noted that each of these four mentioned prongs are circumferentially spaced from each other ninety degrees and when these four prongs have penetrated their respective container sections, then there is no possibility of the last four prongs getting out of alignment as considerable additional pressure is applied downwardly along the container to effect penetration of the last four prongs.

The increasing pressure which is necessary to effect penetration by the last four prongs would tend to enhance the possibility of misalignment; however, such misalignment cannot occur because of the prior penetration of the first four prongs. Thus it can be seen that the possibility of misalignment developing during use of the tool is greatly reduced by minimizing the amount of applied pressure which is necessary in effecting the initial penetrations.

It will be understood that the device may be considerably modified as to form without departure from the invention, and that the various elements may be given the shape and dimensions best adapted to elfect the per foration of the weakened sections of a container.

We claim:

1. For use in depressing and thereby opening prescored knockout tabs arranged in a circular path on a can top, a punch comprising: an annular ring of flat sheet metal having eight prongs of a thickness common to that of the ring and formed integrally with said ring, each of said prongs being bent outwardly from the plane of the ring in a direction substantially at right angles to the ring plane and the loci of the prong bends defining a generally circular path; a first prong being of greater length than any of the remaining prongs; a second prong diametrically opposite from the first prong and being of a length less than that of the first prong but greater than the length of any of the remaining prongs; third and fourth prongs, diametrically opposite from each other and each circumferentially spaced from the first and second prongs approximately degrees; said third and fourth prongs being of a length less than that of the first and second prongs but greater than the length of any of the remaining prongs, fifth and sixth prongs diametrically opposite each other and seventh and eighth prongs diametrically opposite each other, said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth prongs being alternately positioned between the first, second, third and fourth prongs so as to be circumferentially spaced therefrom approximately 45 degrees and said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth prongs being of a length less than that of the first, second, third and fourth prongs.

2. For use in depressing and thereby opening pro-scored knockout tabs arranged in a circular path on a can top, a punch comprising: a base portion; eight prongs secured to the base and projecting outwardly therefrom, said prongs lying in a generally circular path; a first prong being of greater length than any of the remaining prongs; a second prong diametrically opposite from the first prong and being of a length less than that of the first prong but greater than the length of any of the remaining prongs; third and fourth prongs diametrically opposite from each other and each circumferentially spaced from the first and second prongs approximately 90 degrees, said third and fourth-prongs being of a length :20

less than that of the first and second prongs but greater than the length of any of the remaining prongs; fifth and sixth prongs diametrically opposite each other and seventh and eighth prongs diametrically opposite each other, said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth prongs being alternately positioned between the first, second, third and fourth prongs so as to be cireumferentially spaced therefrom approximately 45 degrees and said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth prongs being of a length less than that of the first, second, third and fourth prongs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,617,253 Hosking Feb. 8, 1927 1,861,438 Grisko June 7, 1932 1,959,862 Grisko May 22, 1934 2,576,505 Engle Nov. 27, 1951 2,627,111 McDevitt Feb. 3, 1953 

